PHILADELPHIA — Hello from Citizens Bank Park, and I must say it's actually nice (for a change) to say that. I'm back on full-time duty after my brief stint on the non-DL, and I've picked quite an intriguing matchup for my return to the beat: the opener of a Nationals-Phillies series with none other than John Lannan on the mound to face his old team for the first time.

Lannan, non-tendered by the Nats over the winter, signed a $2.5 million contract with Philadelphia but made only three starts before straining his left quadriceps muscle, an injury that cost him two months. You can only imagine his motivation tonight, both to make a strong return from the DL and to shut down his old ballclub (not to mention beat the guy who the Nationals essentially signed to take his spot: Dan Haren).

When Lannan looks at the opposing lineup, he won't see a whole lot of familiar names. Davey Johnson is going with a group even more depleted than usual tonight, with Adam LaRoche and Denard Span each out (in addition to Bryce Harper and Wilson Ramos). Span looked pretty hampered yesterday after he fouled a pitch off his right foot. LaRoche has no known injury, but he's been slumping a bit lately and he hasn't had a day off in quite some time.

Plenty of updates to come live from the ballpark, and I'll also be appearing on Comcast SportsNet at 6 p.m., so be sure to tune in there and check back here…

JD said…Mrs. B.It's a lefty/righty thing. I think it's an all right handed hitting lineup against Lannan.The trick in beating Lannan is he walks people, we have to let him.====Yeah, I was just about to say, hopefully facing Lannan tonight, he will walk a number of batters and we can make him pay…Lets Go Nats!Welcome back Mark!

Mule eagerly awaits this match-up between the Nats and Phils; even more the pitching pairing. Haren will need a consistent performance, lest he (and we) get long-balled out of existence.This, of course, is Lannan's revenge opportunity; should he pitch reasonably well, the Nats could make him look like Sandy Koufax.In Mark's words, our line-up is indeed "unfamiliar". To us as well. C'est la guerre.

Regarding Lannan and walks: because that's what this team does SO well, holding off and not swinging at bad pitches…oh wait. You know who is STILL second on this team in walks and only three off the lead? Harper. Oh, and the team leader in drawing free passes isn't playing tonight.

Mrs.B Why does Werth need a rest? he was just out for a month. Had a couple of hits yesterday too. I think Jayson needs to take the same approach to the plate he took last year leading off. I don't know how to break the news to everyone but Jayson isn't and won't be a power hitter.

karlkolchak-It's one thing to be a pessimist about the team. We're used to that around here. It's another to poop on legitimate topics of discussion just so you can share a negative statistic you saw on facebook or twitter today. It's a game thread, let people talk about the game for Christ's sake. We know the opposing pitcher. We know he sometimes struggles with control. People are allowed to point out that it might bear watching tonight.

We have been shutout 8 times this season so far, including yesterday. I can guarantee you that this lineup will not score less than the A team scored yesterday. So why the heck not play some hungry players? Will Lannan see this as being patronized? Should really confuse the Phil. color guys. Wish I could hear them pronounce Kobernus, Rendon, Lombardozzi., Marrero.

phil dunton said… MARRERO fits right in….he's another strikeout machine. I am surprised Davey isn't resting Rendon again. Me: LOL. To funny. I'm just glad Tracy isn't in there if ALR needs to sit. I've been saying this for a while, this is by far the worse team I've seen getting the runner in from 3B will less than two out, yesterday was more proof. Back in the earlier 90's I routed for the Mets and though that worse team with less than two outs, but this team is amazingly worse at it.Sorry I'm a run-on sentence…

Swami – naw I'm actually okay with the hamstring… I may have no cause for concern for the wrist either… But lord I feel like if the wind blows the wrong way, he is man down again!Didnt Jewitt stop him… No the better question is why didnt DJ PR for him… With Kobernus….

That was my issue- foot already bad, not hitting, need a run desperately. Why not run Kobernus? Put Bernie in center- check on defense, put Kobernus in left- check just fine on defense, no worse on offense given Span's issue with mechanics. I just don't get it. Jewett might not have needed to hold up a not gimpy Kobernus. He knew Span WAS gimpy. So I am annoyed with Davey when he calls out players when he was not exactly on the ball himself.

mick said… agreed…Ghost knows his stuff June 17, 2013 2:51 PM Thanks for that and thanks for NatsLady doing that research. I think any time I have a slappy hitter up Eric I am going that route as they have a lower chance of a productive out also with the long flyball to tag up. It's all scenarios but I liked Davey's thinking with Lombo up with no outs yesterday. Unfortunately the hitters after him couldn't capitalize with the untimely doubleplay.

Ghost Of Steve M. said… JD, I'm thinking the same but I think a lot of it depends on how ALR plays the rest of the season. His LHP/LH splits are deteriorating, and in the very least they have to find a good complimentary player be it TyMo or someone else and sit ALR in those games. That should be an immediate goal and should help with getting ALR some needed rest. June 17, 2013 2:04 PM Nice to see Davey going with the Math. Even though I cringe with Marrero up there in ALR's place, if Marrero can get1 1 hit he has surpassed ALR's expectant return tonight since ALRs LHP slash is a .206 BA. The other bonus is ALR gets a much needed rest.

MicheleS said… hmm..Interesting lineup. some injuries, some mental health days..Get Healthy! GO NATS, GO BATS! GYFNG!!! June 17, 2013 4:33 PM I was think more like lefty/lefty matchups even though Davey likes to calls those 'mental health days'.Time for Kobernus and Marrero to prove themselves because Tyler Moore is trying to show he is fixed in AAA and Harper is hopefully back within 7 to 10 days.Sounds like his Friday doc appointment went well. Swelling is now replaced by puffiness and I guess that is supposed to be an improvement. When the 'puffy' is gone he can go play at A- with his brother for rehab.

And this is one more week we need to at least maintain our distance from the Braves. We have been fortunate in that they have not gotten hot themselves but it's still nervous time when you are 6.5 games out.

Our three remaining series against the Braves are:Aug. 5-7 (H)Aug. 16-18 (A)Sept. 16-18 (H)Two weekday series at Nats Park and one must-see-TV in Atlanta over a weekend. I hope we're closer than 4.5 back by Aug. 5, since it's hard to imagine winning more than six out of those nine games.

Section222, with that schedule the Braves are 100% healthy now except the bullpen guys they lost and Beachy. I wonder who they get back in August as I think the Nats will basically face who they have now and possibly Beachy.The Nats will have the services of Bryce, Mattheus, Ramos by that time so it looks promising.

Lannan really can dig down and show up when it matters, at least that was true last year. I hope we beat him, though. May Dan have a great night. I'm also wondering why we haven't heard about The Kid's check up today. Regardless, GYFNG!

Janell, we did hear about Bryce today and things look good.Speaking of Legion of Doom…Kristen Berset just now on Channel 9…"….and the Nats fall below .500 once again."Lady, the Nats are now AT .500,Sounds like she'd fit right in on this board.

Ah! I see the news on Harper now. Yikes. But better than it was last week. "Cleared to walk on it" means a rehab assignment is not as close as we hoped. In the silver linings department, maybe these new guys can get their acts together so that when Bryce IS back, he's helping something really roll, instead of trying to do it himself.

Timothy Folk said…I'm sorry @SonnyG10 but the guy is horrible third or fourth highest paid on the team and the worst pitcher on the NL.. so yes it has begunJune 17, 2013 7:07 PMThat's ok, Timothy. You've got good reason not to like Haren.

1 for 4 RISP. Kobernus did what I said a couple posts back. Terrible recognition of the pitch causes a swing at a pitch no where close to a strike.Does Eck work on helping players recognize pitches? That should be one of his functions

Manassas Nats' Fan said… No doubt Kobernus swung. Couldnt identify the pitch obviously. Small sample size, I just ain't seeing anything from him. If he can get it going he could be a good utility guy but I just haven't seen enough.Still laughing about the poster here that called him a Professional Hitter after his first 2 games.

About Lannan on the mound, though: In the last inning, when we finally turned on the game, I saw this pitcher on the mound in a red hat and recognized him immediately. All those years of watching him, you really learn the posture. That set, with the slightly bent knees. John Lannan.

The one Rendon didnt swing at was more hittable than strike 3. Had to swing at strike 3, but strike 2 was an easy one to drie to right.His approach generally good, but not this time.Do it right next time.Zim drive right up the middle.

Candide said… GoSM, so did I, but what do I know? You would think this is the last chance but our thinking doesn't matter. These BP fastballs that are getting crushed could be worse if the batters got each of them. Haren made 9 center-cut mistake pitches against Colorado and I think 5 or 6 of the 9 were hits and 2 of those were HRs. It could've been much worse. The start before that was 3 HRs by the Mets.

I have to say I always thought Lannan was an adequate #5 starter and didn't think he got the respect from Nats front office that he deserved. Certainly not at SS or a JZ but a solid five starter, good for 5.2 to 6.2 innings on most nights. Given how few complete games are thrown anymore what more could you ask of your fifth starter? Didn't care for the EJax signing and wasn't thrilled by the Haren signing. I think what hurt JL the most was having to be the #1 guy on some really bad teams and drawing comparisons to true aces. When your rotation is made up of guys like J.D. Martin, Ramon Ortiz and the likes it really is hard to stand out.

MrsB loves the Nats said… GoSM/Candide – I doubt Harrn becomes a long reliever man…. They ain't paying 13 mil for that….Well they sure ain't paying him $13 mill to lead the league in home runs given up either.

Tim Lincecum was making $18 million last year and he got put in the bullpen for the postseason.When you want to win, check the egos and forget what you paid as it is spent.All you have to do is ask yourself, who gives you a better chance to win – Ohlendorf or Haren.

Knoxville Nat said… I have to say I always thought Lannan was an adequate #5 starter and didn't think he got the respect from Nats front office that he deserved.Where were you to agree with me the 100+ times I wrote that here?

But it's not like Ohlendorf is great… He is serviceable too…In no way shape or form am I saying that Haren is better or in his corner (think everyone knows how I feel about him) but I don't think Ohlendorf is the answer either…I agree that Ohlendorf should have gotten the nod but I just don't see Haren being a long reliever right now… I count every Haren game as a loss, for what it's worth…

Gutsy, though not great, throw by Rendon, and a great leap by Zim to corral it. Time for the bats to break out here against ol' buddy John Lannan. This is a hittable pitcher folks. No argument that he's finally figured it out, is actually a great pitcher blah blah blah like Masterson or Kluber. We need to light this guy up.

Joe Seamhead said… I feel bad for Dan Haren. Some of you may not agree, but the ball to center was a catchable ball. We were very lucky to get out of that with only giving up one run. If Jayson runs through that, rather then dives, he makes that catch. (Easy for me to say on both plays from my sofa!).Joe, that was a 2 run tally that inning and yes, that ball could've been caught by Span or Bernadina.

Bum definition: See #4bumnoun1. a person who avoids work and sponges on others; loafer; idler.2. a tramp, hobo, or derelict.3. Informal. an enthusiast of a specific sport or recreational activity, especially one who gives it priority over work, family life, etc.: a ski bum; a tennis bum.4.Informal. an incompetent person.

Nats 128 said… "4.Informal. an incompetent person." Incompetent could describe alot of these guys including Haren, Kobernus, Tracy. I just wouldnt call them bums.A is BJoe is ATherefore Joe is BA bum is an incompetent person.Haren is an incompetent person.Therefore Haren is not a bum???

In baseball bum is accepted language ever since the Brooklyn Dodgers.More PC action I can tell.A bum is a player playing significantly below tge median of his position.By my definition Haren is a bum, but he is our bum.

NatsJack in Florida said… Brooklyn once had a very lovable team once refered to as the "bums".You owe me a drink on that one! Obviously everyone thinks that calling Haren a bum is okay. I don't think saying someone stinks is as derogatory as calling someone a bum but that's me.I met him many times when he was with the Angels. I find him to be a really good guy who can't get it done. I said my thoughts last week, send him to the 'pen.

I think someone here said the all time gopher ball pitcher for one season was Bert Blyleven at 50. Bert ended up being an All star and won a WS of course. Haren is on pace to break this record, assuming he lasts the season. What would make this impressive is that back in Bert's time, starting pitchers went at least 8-9 innings no matter how bad they pitched. In Haren's era, pitchers average 6-7 innings and in his case he averages about 5 innings. I say let this no heart, over paid clown pitch on, at least Nats would have some type of all time recordnow how is that for the glass half full, LOL

listening to Charlie and Dave…you can hear and feel the disgust in their voices for Haren…you can also tell they really liked Lannan, they bring up his 4-1 last season and the Braves game. Dave wants so bad to say Haren is by far the worst move management made since the team has been in DC… I think Albert Haynesworth prepared better than Haren…well, maybe that's a stretch

Candide said: What SCNatsFan said. I have it on good authority (my mother) that I'm a wonderful person. But put me on the field with these guys and calling me a bum would be a kindness.=====You ain't the only one… My baseball career lasted all of 2 years and 1 year, I couldn't even smell the field…. Just terrible…But yeah bum is a baseball term… But whatever.

I said last week, Lannan was on a mission to make statement…I was of course ridiculed and some poster actually said we would knock Lannan out by the 3rd inning… show them John, show them what a mistake they made signing one of the worst MLB free agent pitchers I have seen in 25 years

Oh lord… Haren is still out there for the 5th…. Jessssssssus!I agree Mick – I don't hear anything positive from C and D about Haren…Oh, ghost, I got call a f'ing terrible bum to my face… I couldn't do nothing but cry becuz I was… Couldn't hit, couldn't catch…. Uhm bad memories…

Ghost Of Steve M. said…I just would never say that to someone's face… Well, of course not. That would be incredibly rude. When I'm at the park, I NEVER boo our guys or call them names.…but I would have no problem telling Espinosa that he stinks. 😉"You stink, Espi. But you're not a bum.""Well, gee, thanks for that, Ghost. Want me to autograph that ball for you?"

Lannan was an original Nat. At one time he was our number 1. He battled and battled and saved our bacon a bunch. Rizzo not only dumps a good 5th starter but dumps a guy who truly had heart and wanted to be a NAT. Way to go SNYDER/RIZZO

Secret wasian man so Nats paid 2 million more for Haren… 8 mil more than what they would have paid LannanI would say this would be like investing into a certain ship crossing the Atlantic in April 1912 or the stock market in 1929

Didnt Rizzo think to himself who would give the Nats the best chance in a division game.Olendorf vs HarenSeems Olendorf made more sense for a chance at a W. This is 3 bad starts in a row by Haren. Thats no longer inconsistency. This is just bad.

F.P. and Carp were talking about what could be done to improve the Nats' hitting. A suggestion comes from classical literature: As they were chatting thus together they arrived at Portsmouth. The shore on each side the harbor was lined with a multitude of people, whose eyes were steadfastly fixed on a lusty man who was kneeling down on the deck of one of the men-of-war, with something tied before his eyes. Opposite to this personage stood four soldiers, each of whom shot three bullets into his skull, with all the composure imaginable; and when it was done, the whole company went away perfectly well satisfied."What the devil is all this for?" said Candide, "and what demon, or foe of mankind, lords it thus tyrannically over the world?"He then asked who was that lusty man who had been sent out of the world with so much ceremony. When he received for answer, that it was an admiral."And pray why do you put your admiral to death?""Because he did not put a sufficient number of his fellow creatures to death. You must know, he had an engagement with a French admiral, and it has been proved against him that he was not near enough to his antagonist.""But," replied Candide, "the French admiral must have been as far from him.""There is no doubt of that; but in this country it is found requisite, now and then, to put an admiral to death, in order to encourage the others to fight."

What SCNatsFan said @8:51. Lannan is a just ok No. 4 or 5 pitcher. Rizzo hoped Haren would be much better than that. He hasn't been.FP's commentary about what it takes to get out of the hitting slump we're in is getting tiresome. I like him much better when he's being humorous.

So is this game tonight all about baseball karma? I hate it that we only scored two against a guy who is considered back of the rotation , on his first start back. But I cannot wish any ill against John Lannan. I just can't. That being said, I hope we get to their bullpen. We let Lannsn go and signed Haren at how much more money? I think he might owe us a little stab tonight. And our offense still sucks, except for those 7,8 hitters.

Proctor as critical as I've been about Danny had not to feel for the guy. He sees Rendon as the flavor of the month and he's on the farm continuing to flounder. Will have to be awful strong mentally to beat this.

Why bat Tracy for Haren instead of Bernadina? Batting the Shark allows you to play him in CF and bat the next pitcher in the lead off slot after Kobernus hits here in the 7th. I don't understand this move at all.

Im not on Haren tonight. 2 Runs in this park against Lannen is terrible. NO power threat on this team. Its killing us. Yes I will beat the MORSE horse. "Take on me" come back to us at trade deadline MIKEY. PLEASE

Ok. I'm watching The Voice instead of the game (I have a friend in the finals, I am proud to say). But I keep checking back. And i've decided to just love these guys the way I did in 2011. I'll be glad when they win, get mad at the unps who call bogus balks and squeeze the zone, and defend them at the ballpark when people start calling them names. It's not the season I was hoping they'd have. But there will be little victories along the way. That's where I am.

Ahh, I love me some Eck! Another soft tosser – a guy for whom the Nats should have a pretty good scouting report – makes them look hapless in a hitter's park. Oh, did I mention that this particular pitcher historically not fared well in this park?No matter, I'm sure Eck will figure out how to coach 'em up. When the entire class is failing, it's a bit hard to put all the blame on the students.

I'm sorry, but given the run differential and total runs scored, this team will settle between 5 and 8 games below .500 when all is said and done. The outcome of this game doesn't really matter. It's pretty settled given the sample size.

Because we all still like him, no one want to say that Harper is responsible for a lot of this. That was a really, really stupid escapade stealing that base. And this mysterious injury is just bizarre. If his body truly heals this slowly then the best we can hope for from this kid is Freddie Lynn's career.

DJB said…I'm sorry, but given the run differential and total runs scored, this team will settle between 5 and 8 games below .500 when all is said and done. The outcome of this game doesn't really matter. It's pretty settled given the sample size.Since it's already decided, why watch the games? The result is set in stone, right?

What difference does it make, F.P. The Nationals can't score two runs in the 9th. The best we can hope for is losing in extra innings, realistically. Seriously, Werth and La Roche seem ineffective. Desmond seemed to peak last year. Zimmerman isn't the player he was. Span is a bust. Morse is gone. Ramos can't stay healthy.That leaves us with Bryce who never plays and Rendon and four really good pitchers who lose 4-3 and 3-2.

ok, I don't have Clip's stats in front of me but it seems like lately, he is giving up 2-3 hits per inning and throwing 30+ pitches…am I wrong & then he somehow miraculously escapes…cue up K right there…weird.

Manassas, I don't think your post at 9:24 is that much of a stretch. Werth's was a tough play that maybe he shouldn't have dove for, but the ball Kobernus missed was catchable by a Span, or Bernadina. That play was deadly for Haren. Either ball gets caught, Haren would have only given up 2 runs for his outing. He still had too many balls hit hard against him and also benefited from a couple of great defensive plays.

128, looks like it worked. You're on the board. Congrats! Including tonight, Clipp has made 30 appearances already this year. Looks like he's given up a hit or a walk in 17 of them. Yet somehow, his ERA coming into tonight was 2.57. He's also thrown 17 or more pitches in 17 of his appearances. I wonder if he has the lowest ERA for average pitches per inning of any reliever. The number of jams he's created and escaped from must be really high.

Let's face it. I have been watching baseball for a long time but I have seldom, if ever, seen such a pathetic display of baseball as I saw by the Nationals yesterday. It looked like the players had no interest in the game.

our bench and backups suckEvan Gattis…6 for 8 with 11 rbis pinch hittingNats pinch hitters have 2 rbis all year (all by tracey)no jordan schaffer, no Gattis, minor league callups except rendon are marginal hittersteam not put together well expecting to not have injuries and having bernadina, tymo, lombo, kobernus, solano, kobernus, brown… as your guys for the inevitable ph or injury or replacement.but all is well..the mighty tracey has done it again.

Ya know . . . a lot of folks were wondering why Tracy started on Friday. Davey said "to get some at bats". Most here scoffed.But, you know, getting some at bats helps keep you from getting too rusty.Wow — 0-2 with two out. Gotta love that!

not all surprised SC, a-BAD is a joke..Davey this season is one of MLB's worst managers,instead of putting his team in a position to succeed, he has constantly put them in positions to fail.where was Drew, why aBAD? do not want to even hear Davey's BSsick to my stomach with this manager

Amen Mick. Davey has been nothing short of terrible this year. You had the momentum and you bring in another AA player to pitch. And then when he struggles you just sit there on your tired butt and do nothing. Please step down Davey.

mick, who would you have face Brown in that situation? a right-hander? i doubt it…have to think Abad faces Brown there anyway & that's the right call…would like to hear Davey's thinking but lefty on lefty is the right call there, just didn't work out.

Then why does not Davey send Drew down???? I am sick of Davey's passive aggressive answers and lies about playerss..Yes, Davey andht rizzo are not straight shooters, both of them are full of crapI got razzed for saying Nats will lose 8 straight…there is still time…I am on record…Nats will lose at least 85 games…Rizzo will destroy this team in 2014

I am not giving up. When Harper is back, I would love to see: Werth, Span, Desmond, Harper, Zimmerman, Laroche, Catcher, Rendon, Pitcher. Bet it never happens but it would mean you are never more than one player away from a guy that can hit it hard and regular.

the larger point is being missed here…they lost, Haren gave up 4 runs, they are under 500how the hell can anyone defend this baseball and this manager????b has becomeabad is not good period… yes maybe he was his only option, but the fact that the nats were in that situation says it all about how bad this club has become

look, Rendon, Desi and Harper and 4 good starting pitchers give us hope for 2014 and beyond, I keep telling myself that.however, Werth and Zim and ALR have aged… so that means more holes to fill, Rizzo, if anything may screw things up even moreRiz